Nunavut neighborhoods weigh in on Baffinland production growth

Key takeaways: 

• Arctic Bay, Pond Inlet register backing for a temporary growth again this year at mine.
• The hamlet’s mayor has reported to the Nunavut Impact Review Board, telling his community backs the raised production at the Baffinland Mine again this year.

Baffinland Iron Mines’ plea to increase its production again this year at its Mary River mine is receiving a mixed reaction from several Nunavut communities.

The appeal — if agreed, would let the firm mine up to six million tonnes of ore from its Mary River mine in 2022 — is now before the Nunavut Impact Review Board (NIRB). And after the proposal is a threat, Baffinland states almost 1,000 people will be laid off beginning next month if it’s not authorized.

The NIRB demands written statements from communities, Inuit associations, and other stakeholders regarding whether the appeal should be granted.

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Several have submitted their comments to NIRB before the board’s deadline next week.

The hamlet of Pond Inlet, nearest the mine, is in favor, as is the hamlet of Arctic Bay. Both hamlet boards gave motions in July to back the temporary production growth.

“As one of the smaller neighborhoods in Nunavut, there are not many other possibilities for local work,” Arctic Bay mayor Moses Oyukuluk reported to the NIRB in June.

Source – CBC News